60 MR. SWALE VINCENT ON THE 



position of the suprarenal bodies ; the variation in each of these respects affects not 

 only the different species, but even different individuals of the same species. 



With regard to their number this may be stated as usually two. Thus there are 

 most often two in Hippoglossus vulgaris, Pleuronectes flesus, P. limanda, and Solea 

 vulgaris. But 1 have found one only in some specimens of P. limanda and Hippo- 

 glossoides limandoides, while I have found three in one specimen of P. flesus. [In 

 this case, however, the two of one side were close together, and were, taken together, 

 not larger than the one of the opposite side.] 



Their shape is nearly always rounded, but in P. flesus one was oval. 



As to their position, the bodies appear to be affected to some extent by the 

 characteristic asymmetry of the family, though sometimes they may be arranged 

 symmetrically. There is usually one belonging to each side, but sometimes one is 

 placed behind the other in the middle line (PL XII. fig. 26, s.r.). This was found, 

 e. g., in P. flesus and Solea vulgaris. Occasionally they are placed abreast, but both 

 on one side of the median line ; this occurred in P. limanda. Often the body of one 

 side is decidedly more anterior or posterior than that of the other. Again, sometimes 

 they are close together in the middle line (PI. XI. fig. 24) ; at other times separated 

 by the whole breadth of the kidney. 



The suprarenals are always enclosed in the capsule of the kidney ; but appear never 

 to be imbedded in the kidney-substance in this family. They are always near the 

 posterior end of the kidney, and never further forward than the junction of the 

 posterior with the middle third of the kidney. 



The size of the capsules in the Pleuronectidae varies in specimens I have seen from 

 •5 mm. to 1-75 cm. in diameter. They do not appear to vary very directly in 

 proportion to the size of the individual fish, but they are larger in the larger species. 



The typical arrangement of the suprarenals in the Pleuronectidae may be described 

 as follows : — 



The organs are about "75 cm. in diameter and rounded. There is one on each side 

 of the median line on the spinal surface of the kidney, but one is nearer to the middle 

 line than the other. They are situated about one-quarter the length of the kidney 

 from its posterior extremity, and one is placed rather in front of the other. They are 

 smooth and free on the kidney-surface, and are pale pink or glistening white in aspect. 



d. ACANTHOPTEKI. 



In the Pharyngognathi I have only been able to obtain a spirit-specimen of Coris 

 pulcherrima. It was not in a good state of preservation and no sirprarenals were found. 



In the Acanthopterygii I have been enabled to investigate representatives of several 

 families. 



Percidje. — In two specimens of Perch {Perca fluviatilis, PI. XII. fig. 29) I have 

 found only one suprarenal body to be present in each case. In both it was about 



